I curated a Chicago-artists-only compilation of innovative electronic music for my label, subVariant called Frequencity, and contributed a track as well. Read more about it and download it here.

TRACKLIST:
01. Beanbake: “A Bicycle In Your Mind” [Melodic Electronica]
02. Belmont and Clark: “Dark Compression” [Analogue Electro]
03. Ella Laurence: “aaaAH” [Acid]
04. [esc]APE: “Square Fingers” [Dark Electro]
05. Polyfuse: “Blood on the Urinal” [Electro Industrial]
06. Foe Paw: “Dos Otros” [Prog Rock]
07. XYZR_KX: “Home” [Folk IDM]
08. Mike Gonsior: “Reflections” [Downtempo Electronica]
09. Quantazelle: “Polychromatic Tomatoes” [Melodic Electronica]
10. Lokua: “Hue” [Minimal Techno]
11. Drasla: “Moonlight Somnambula” [Neo-Classical IDM]
12. Elock: “Ari on Acid” [Chiptune]

See the resemblance? Cool. Cool, cool, cool.

I’ve always admired the artist Cindy Sherman for her self portraits in photography, and it’s great to see that her work has become so in-demand to this scale. I thought the action of staging photographs and then composing and shooting them herself was both liberating and resourceful.

Like Ms. Sherman, my creative process involves being alone, thinking, devising, mentally-sketching, tweaking, re-tweaking, re-thinking; sharing for feedback, and then re-tweaking some more. It’s emblematic of the contemporary, technology-enabled artist, in a way. Creative types have so many resources available: so many mediums to muck around in, so many visual sandboxes (like Adobe CSx–Photoshop, Illustrator, Premier); audio playgrounds (like Reaktor, Ableton, FL Studio) and platforms for interdisciplinary / cross-medium work (like Max/MSP, etc).

I, for one, am excited about the future.

In my music projects, as Quantazelle, which is my production alias, I try to always push sounds and expectations into a new place. I use “weird sounds” in place of traditional instruments, but with always a melodic and structured approach (using a sample of a plastic chopstick hitting a wine glass as an open hi-hat, with effects). But, I do like dancing and club culture, and sharing songs that I feel are really testing the boundaries. So I DJ as Liz Revision, and play those songs that I feel fit where I’m going.

So, I felt that to do an homage to Ms. Sherman, but with a circuit-bent Speak And Read and headphones would convey my direction. I play with sounds, I screw around with them, I share them. I play. But I know the context in which I present my work, just as Ms. Sherman does.

And the uber cool thing is that, for the average person, all the tools are available for getting it out there. It’s mega-DIY, FTW. If you have an idea, it’s considerably easier to get it out into the world than it was at any time before now. I can manipulate a photo, create a 3D mockup, and write the next hit pop song from an internally-complex, but user-friendly 15″ x 12″ box with pushable letters, a box that correlates to an arrow and a screen that gives me feedback.

When I applied to art colleges, I was so disheartened by the rampant insistence that I choose a medium. I didn’t like the feeling of being forced to create within an established “language” (medium) that could be critically evaluated (by critics who specialized in media). Then I found California Institute of the Arts, was accepted, and played and played and played and finally found my voice. A voice that was me, and not limited to choice of media, but one that used media to express the ideas I wanted to introduce to the world.

And that, I feel, is true contemporary artistry. Knowing that the clay of the world is yours to play with and yours to enjoy.

And screw the critics.

PS: I have prints available of my version here.

You can see what I’m working on here.

And sign up for my mailing list so you stay in the know.

“So You Wanna” is a track by en.Code aka Sage Krause featuring Quantazelle vocals from the free Quantazelle Sample Pack.

The vocals are a cover of Tricky’s “Overcome” / Massive Attack’s “Karmacoma.”

If you need gifts for electronic musicians, or feel like adding some cool stuff to your wishlist, Check out the Electronic Musician Gear section at my geek boutique, Fractalspin. In particular, the Electronic Musician’s Emergency Adapters are pretty frakking useful. There’s also a bunch of free IDM compilations from subVariant up, too.

And in case you missed it, earlier this year I released a bunch of samples I use in my Quantazelle project under a Creative Commons license, so feel free to download and play around with them. And, yes, I have t-shirts.

PLAYLIST of the 690th radio show « Le Vestibule » October 2, 2010 from 9:00 P.M. to 11:00 P.M.
Hosted by JEAN-FRANÇOIS FECTEAU on CFOU 89.1 FM

1) Gabriel Johnson: “No Words” (ELECTROFONE MUSIC)

2) Thievery Corporation: “Shadows Of Ourselves (Feat. Lou Lou)”
(EIGHTEENTH STREET LOUNGE MUSIC)

3) Crocodiles: “Mirrors” (FAT POSSUM RECORDS)

4) Breakbot: “Baby I’m Yours (Feat. Irfane) (Aeroplane Remix)” (ED BANGER RECORDS)

5) Unkle: “Country Tune (Feat. Gavin Clark)” (SURRENDER ALL)

6) Dark Dark Dark: “Celebrate” (SUPPLY AND DEMAND)

7) Deerhunter: “Earthquake” (4ad)

Opera Multi Steel: “Fureur en Asie” (WAVE RECORDS)

9) Exit Calm: “You’ve Got It All Wrong” (CLUB AC30)

10) Klangstabil: “Vertraut (Ostball Remix by Synapscape)” (ANT-ZEN/MHZ RECORDS)

11) Surface Of Atlantic: “Tear Garden” (METROPOLE RECORDS)

12) Peace Orchestra: “Shining (Feat. Chilli Bukasa)” (G-STONE RECORDINGS)

13) theYage: “Devils & Angels” (DYSTOPIA RECORDINGS)

14) Young Galaxy: “Lost In The Call” (ARTS & CRAFTS)

15) Lindstrom and Christabelle: “Lovesick (Fan Death Rework Remix)” (SMALLTOWN SUPERSOUND)

16) Joe Galen: “Fish And Chips” (CREAKED RECORDS)

17) Auditory Canvas: “Lost and Found” (SUMMER RAIN RECORDINGS)

18) Quantazelle: “Digital Love” (SUBVARIANT)

19) Handful Of Snowdrops: “Astronaut” (NANOGENESIE)

[DOWNLOAD HERE]

Winners of the Quantazelle remix contest were announced last week by the Chicago laptop jockey herself, aka Liz McLean Knight. The idea behind the project wasn’t to turn a Quantazelle track into Ibiza-grade bubble foam but to make use of odds and sods from the extensive sample library she’s assembled over the years. The winners, production duo Technobears, have previously won remix contests held by Yoko Ono and the Pretenders.

Read more:“Girls Rock! Chicago needs volunteers, local bands bond over KARP, White Flag’s belated Chicago debut, and more”

SECOND PLACE: Beanbake: “Irrational Beats”
[DOWNLOAD 320]
Beanbake’s approach was impressive in that he used only my samples and was still able to put together a cohesive, catchy track. Dark, yet groovy, it relied heavy on vocal samples layered together in interesting ways. Beanbake won a $50 gift certificate to Fractalspin and a Coaster CD.

THIRD PLACE: Jonas the Plug Expert: “Modsquared”
[DOWNLOAD 320 MP3]
Jonas the Plug Expert created a dense, blissed-out IDM track with sputtery beats and layered melodies, including highly-manipulated Quantazelle samples. Mr. Plug Expert won a $25 gift certificate to Fractalspin and a subVaritrax CD

RUNNERS UP:
Naetron: “Dr. Tron’s Proper Sauce”
[DOWNLOAD 320 MP3]

Salomon: “Audiodrome”
[DOWNLOAD 320 MP3]

Masterprogrammer: “Shock-o-Zelle”
[DOWNLOAD 320 MP3]

Thanks to everyone that entered! It was fun listening to all the tracks you made. Enjoy the samples. They are free to download here.

Quantazelle Remix Contest (Deadline extended, rules clarified)

Additional clarification:

• My samples are released under a Creative Commons Attribution license. You are welcome to use them in other tracks, I’d just appreciate credit, and/or hitting me up with what you’ve made.
• Your track for the contest can use other sounds beyond the ones in the sample pack. Be aware though I’m judging the contest and recognize the samples, so creative use of them will probably give you an advantage.
• The 3 winning tracks will be available on my website for download and play. Please make sure they are tagged with your name and the track name.
• Email the finished tracks to quantazelle@gmail.com by the end of the due date. Include Your Name, Track Name, and a URL for promoting you (optional).
• Tracks that have already been submitted will still be in the running.

Sorry for the confusion + good luck! -Liz

Samples: http://www.quantazelle.com/free-stuff/sample-pack/

I realized, while making new tracks, that I have this crazy huge sample library, and it’s a shame that it’s not being put to use. So, I’m releasing it to the world, and I hope it does something amazing for someone, somewhere.

To launch my free sample library, I’m throwing a contest. Make a cool track with my samples and submit it to quantazelle@gmail.com before May 14May 28 June 12, 2010.

Additional clarification:

• My samples are released under a Creative Commons Attribution license. You are welcome to use them in other tracks, I’d just appreciate credit, and/or hitting me up with what you’ve made.
• Your track for the contest can use other sounds beyond the ones in the sample pack. Be aware though I’m judging the contest and recognize the samples, so creative use of them will probably give you an advantage.
• The 3 winning tracks will be available on my website for download and play. Please make sure they are tagged with your name and the track name.
• Email the finished tracks to quantazelle@gmail.com by the end of the due date. Include Your Name, Track Name, and a URL for promoting you (optional).
• Tracks that have already been submitted will still be in the running.

Sorry for the confusion + good luck! -Liz

Samples: http://www.quantazelle.com/free-stuff/sample-pack/

FIRST PRIZE: $75 Gift Certificate to Fractalspin.com & Coaster CD
SECOND PRIZE: $50 Gift Certificate to Fractalspin.com & Coaster CD
THIRD PRIZE: $20 Gift Certificate to Fractalspin.com & subVaritrax CD

Looking forward to hearing your work!